In a tight-checking game between two of the better defensive teams in the country, the Clarkson University Hockey team saw its unbeaten streak come to an end at three games (2-0-1), as the Golden Knights lost 3-0 at Merrimack College in non-league action at Lawler Arena in North Andover, MA on Friday evening.

Clarkson, which has gone 1-13-1 against Hockey East foes since the 2008-09 campaign, will look to gain its first victory on a Hockey East opponent's home ice in eight years when they battle the Warriors again on Saturday at Lawler Arena in another contest beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Knights stand at 5-6-4 overall.

Merrimack (9-4-1), which was allowing only 2.00 goals per game entering the weekend, handed the Golden Knights their third shutout of the season and blanked the Green and Gold for the second straight game in their series. On January 11, Merrimack won the last meeting 4-0 at Cheel.

Clarkson outshot Merrimack 28-21, but the Warriors enjoyed the better of the specialty teams play, going 2-of-6 on the power play, while holding the Knights scoreless on five man-advantage chances. Sophomore Steve Perry (Ligonier, PA) made 18 saves for the Green and Gold. Collin Delia turned aside all 28 shots he faced to backstop the Merrimack shutout.

A strong effort on the penalty kill kept the game scoreless through the opening 20 minutes as the Knights killed off three straight Merrimack power plays, including 61 seconds of a two-man advantage for the Warriors.

Merrimack put the first goal on the scoreboard late in the middle frame, connecting on its fourth power-play opportunity of the game. At the 16:00 mark, and with just 19 seconds remaining in the man advantage, Jace Henning gave the home team the lead when he pushed in a rebound at the top of the crease after Perry made a point-blank stop on Brett Seney.

Early in the third period, Chris LeBlanc outraced the Clarkson defense to a loose puck and chipped in a shot past Perry at 7:27 to put Merrimack on top 2-0.

At 12:38 Hampus Gustafsson tallied the Warriors' second power-play goal of the night to make it 3-0 for Merrimack.